Which 2026 NBA Draft Prospects Best Fit the Nets Needs?

Brooklyn is outside of the top three teams for draft odds, so it could draft for need rather than best available.

Illinois' Keaton Wagler celebrates a 3-pointer against Michigan State during the second half on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets currently have the fifth-best odds at the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The New Orleans Pelicans are the third-worst team in the league with a 15-41 record. Brooklyn's 15-38 record isn't far off, but with recent tanking investigations, it can't afford to get too greedy.

If the Nets do end up with a pick outside the top three, there's a chance they could draft based on need rather than the best available. Here are the players outside the big three of this draft class that could make sense for their current roster construction.

Caleb Wilson / F / North Carolina

Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) with the ball as Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) defends in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Wilson is the consensus top pick outside the top three players in the 2026 cycle. It's uncertain whether Michael Porter Jr. will remain in Brooklyn or find a new home in the offseason, but either way, Wilson is a prospect that teams will bet on regardless of depth.

Other forwards that Wilson would be competing with are Noah Clowney and Danny Wolf, who have both shown promise this season. While the Tar Heel is an incredible offensive talent, hovering around 20 points per game, his defensive capabilities would bring a trait to the Nets front court that only Nic Claxton possesses.

Keaton Wagler / G / Illinois

Feb 10, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) during the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

After taking four guards in the 2025 NBA Draft, selecting another guard with its top pick may seem crazy for Brooklyn. The fact of the matter is that it doesn't have a guard with Wagler's skill set on the roster.

He is a more complete scoring prospect than any of the Nets' rookies this season. Three-point shooting and foul drawing highlight his best skills. Nolan Traoré and Egor Demin currently look like the guard duo of the future, but Wagler is big enough at 6-foot-6 that he could run small forward alongside them. At some point, Brooklyn needs to go after more scoring, and Wagler does exactly that.

Hannes Steinbach / C-F / Washington

Feb 14, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies forward Hannes Steinbach (6) dunks the ball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Similar to the Caleb Wilson fit, it would make even more sense if one of Day'Ron Sharpe or Claxton was dealt away in the offseason. Steinbach is the best rebounder in the draft, and he's only 20 years old. Along with that, he has a solid post-scoring arsenal.

In Short, Steinbach is well-rounded with room to grow into his high ceiling. He has the ability to play the four or five, which could get him on the court similarly to Wolf's positional versatility. Brooklyn doesn't have a floor-stretching center –– Steinbach has a serviceable perimeter shot fitting the modern NBA.